Over the weekend, Dan Savage was honored by the American Humanist Association (AHA). The author and activist was named the 2013 Humanist of the Year for his advocacy of separation of church and state and work with LGBTQ youth.

The AHA is a nontheistic organization striving “to bring about a progressive society where being good without a god is an accepted way to live life.” The author was present at the ceremony in San Diego, CA where he received his award.

Meanwhile, Savage just released a new book, American Savage: Insights, Slights, and Fights on Faith, Sex, Love, and Politics, a collection of provocative essays on fatherhood, gun control and marriage equality.

15 Comments

I love his humor and the work that he has done. He may have denied the existence of bisexuals at one point, but who knows if he still holds that opinion? The It Get’s Better campaign was a complete game changer IMO.

So he apologize in a chapter in his book about how he was wrong about bisexuality.I wonderif he would ever apologize to the Blacks in California for falsely claiming and holding them responsible in 2008 for the passing of prop-8. Considering that he did not understand the the ethinic voter demgraphics.Blacks being 6% of the California voters but making up only 9‰ of the California electoral vote. He was told of this. And as far as I know, no apology was given.

– Don’t ask for FEC regulations that protect us from crooked financial planners.

– Don’t ask to keep the airwaves free so your right-wing psycho radio talk show host can lie to you.

– Don’t ask for a business loan from the small business administration.

– Don’t ask to use the G.I. bill to go to college.

– Don’t allow Al Gore to sponsor legislation to turn a military computer network (DARPANet/ARPANet) into the public-accessed “Internet.”

– Don’t drive a car that benefits from government safety regulations.

– Don’t use electricity generated by TVA or some government-owned and maintained dam or facility.

– Don’t use currency printed by the US Treasury.

– Don’t use a bank or credit union that insures your deposits through the FDIC.

– Don’t buy or build a house that requires the efforts of county deed offices or needs building permits and inspections.

– Don’t get married, have children or die and expect the government to keep track of all the certificates.

– Don’t expect the government to keep an eye on cemeteries, crematories and funeral homes so you won’t get dug up and thrown in a swamp. And ask George Bush why he lied about his involvement with a company that did just that.

– Don’t run for an elected office, because the local, state and federal election commissions could be involved.

– Don’t go to a beach kept clean by the state.

– Don’t use public transportation.

– Don’t visit public museums.

– Don’t go hunting, fishing, or camping on government property.

– Don’t cross a bridge.

– Don’t use truckstops or public restrooms.

June 24, 2002 Updates

– Don’t expect the government to protect the copyright for the works
you create.
– Don’t move to any other developed nation, because the taxes are higher in all
the others, except South Africa.

– Don’t expect anyone to plow your roads when it snows or sweep them when they’re dirty.

– Don’t expect the government to regulate industries that have monopolies and use that power to raise your rates for reduced service and product quality.

– Don’t expect the government to keep gasoline rates low, compared to the rest of the world.

– Don’t expect convicted criminals to be in prison and off your street.

– Don’t expect the local government to condemn private property at below market rates so that your major league baseball franchise can build a stadium on the land and make millions of dollars in profit while leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill when the courts order the government to pay the property owners a fair price.

July 26, 2002 Updates

– Don’t expect to receive a cheap land lease on Federal lands, then mine or cut the forest for your profit with no repayment to the landlord (we the people).

– Don’t expect to have uniform building codes.

– Don’t expect to go to buildings and high rises that have been reviewed and inspected during construction to ensure it was built to current building codes.

– Don’t expect to eat in restaurants that have been inspected to ensure cleanliness and the safe preparation of food.

– Don’t expect your children to be able to ride the bus to school.

– Don’t try to adopt a child through your county or state government.

– Don’t expect the state or county to pay foster parents to take care of the children left abandoned or orphaned.

– Don’t expect the state or county to investigate and/or remove children from neglectful or abusive homes.

– Don’t visit the Smithsonian.

– Don’t write any material to be published and copyright it.

– Don’t go to your book store and try to find a book by its ISBN number.

– Don’t expect the government to stop the auto companies from building SUVs that roll over and kill your wife and kids.

– Don’t expect the court to appoint a taxpayer-paid attorney to represent you (or your child) when you are accused of a crime.

– Don’t call or go to the US Embassy in a foreign country when you get in trouble.

– Don’t get a passport or try to get out of the US without a Passport.

– Don’t expect to enjoy the benefits of the most stable regime in the world.

And finally . . .

– Don’t complain to us about how much you pay in taxes because we think taxes can be a good thing and WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOUR WHINING ANYMORE!